Expanded truss structure



Oct. 26, 1926.

W. A. BATES EXPANDED TRUSS STRUCTURE Filed May 6, 1925 Patented 26, 1926.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER A. BATES, OF CHICAGO, JILLIItl'OIS, ASSIGNOR TO BATES EXPANDED STEEL TRUSS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

EXPANDED TRUSS STRUCTURE.

Application filed Kay 6,

The object of this invention is to produce a strong and Substantial, but light, truss metal structure, which can be easily fabris rated from specially made expanded truss units and economically manufactured and set up.

The invention also has for its object to provide expanded truss units of standard and uniform sizes and'shapes adapted for fabrication into truss metal structures of dilierent sizes and shapes without the addition of any extra parts.

In the accompanying drawlngs illustrating selected embodiments of the invention- Fig. 1 is an elevation of a section of trussed metal structure embodying the 1nvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation, and Fig. 4 1s a section of the blank used for making the expanded truss unit shown in elevation in Fig. 5 and in section in Fig. 6;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of an expanded truss unit formed from a blank having legs of equal width;

Fig. 8 shows a truss metal structure made with expanded truss units of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 shows a truss metal structure made with expanded truss units of F1 s 6 and 7-;

Fig. 10 is an elevation, and 1g. 11 1s a section of a blank which is double slitted to I be expanded as shown in Fig. 12.

" unit because the wide leg can Referring to the drawings, the invention contemplates slitting an angle blank and expanding it in a suitable manner by stretdhing one portion thereof relat ve to anotherportion to produce a lattice-l ke truss unit, which is adapted to be fabricated with similar truss units into structures varying in size and in shape.

An angle blank such as shown 1n Figs. 3 and 4 having a narrow leg 15 and awide leg 16 is suitable for making the expanded truss e'expanded and the narrow leg can be used for anchorage, without waste of material. The wide leg 16 is slit at 17 and then the portions 18 are stretched and expanded to form the truss 19. Thus the angle blank is converted without loss or addition of material into a comparatively wide expanded truss un t composed of a strai ht member 20, which has not been expan ed or changed in any respect, and a zigzag member 21 which has 1925, Serial No. 28,317.

been expanded to truss shape,'but is still integrally connected at 22 with the member 20. The narrow leg 15 of the blank remains unchanged like the member of the wide leg and together they form an angle 23 (Fig. 6) which has all the strength required for the structures which can be fabricated with the expanded truss units of Figs. 5 and 6. Four of these units can be fabricated into the square-shaped pole 24 of Figs. 1 and 2, holes 25 being provided in the apices of the trussmember to register with corresponding holes in the narrow leg of another unit to receive bolts 26 for securing the units together. Thus the apices of the trusses which are supported in the expanded truss unit are seated in the angle 23 of another unit as the fabricated truss structure is provided with continuous corners with the units securely anchored together.

A blank having two legs-of equal width may have both legs expanded, as shown at 27, Fig. 7, producing an expanded truss unit which can be assembled with similar units'in the pole 28 of Fig. 8 or in the pole 29 of Fig. 9. In Fig. 8 the apices of the trusses are secured together by bolts 28 midway to'form a square-shaped pole. In Fig. 9 two of the units shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are fabricated with two of the units shown in Fig. 7 to produce a pole which is oblong in cross-section.

I have heretofore described slitting. the blank in a single line to produce a single expansion, as shown in Fig. 5, but a blank 30, Figs. 10, 11, may have two lines of slits, with the slits 31 in one line staggered with relation to the slits 32 in the. other line, so that the slitt-ed leg may be expanded into a double truss member 33, Fig. 12. It will be noted that the apices of the trusses are free and disconnected from each other, that is, there is no member like the leg 15 connecting them together at their outer margin or the edge opposite the leg 15. Thus I effect a saving of material employed and reduce the weight of the unit and consequently of the fabricated article.

I have indicated in the accompanying drawings what I consider to be the forms of which differ from those shown. Therefore, many uses, which will be apparent to those I would have it understood that the drawskilled in the art and which I have not atings are intended to illustrate the invention in what I conceive now to be the most desirable forms, but I do not wish to be limited thereby nor to the production of the truss units in accordance with any particular method.

My invention makes it possible to utilize in a very simple -and economical manner the great advantages of an expanded truss unit in fabricating poles, towers, and other structures, and to provide for the fabrication in a simple and expeditious manner. The structure can be shipped in knocked-down condition, with the several units conveniently nested and fastened together or separate from each other, as may be found desirable, and the units can be assembled and fabricated on the job without the necessity of specially skilled labor. Each unit consists of a single part. A structure made up in accordance with my invention comprises only a few parts, since each expanded truss unit is an integral part and a plurality of these integral units can be easily bolted together and substantially secured with comparatively few bolts. My invention has tempted to indicate here except by reference to poles and towers, bywhich, of course, I mean fabricated poles and towers in structures of any kind that can be made With my invention,

I claim:

1. An expanded truss unit consisting of an angle having a narrow leg and a wide leg, a part of the wide leg forming with the narrow leg a solid angle,'and the other part of the wide leg being expanded, the apices of the trusses formed by the expansion being free and disconnected from each other at their outer marginal edges.

An expanded truss structure consisting of a plurality of expanded truss units, each unit having a solid angle, an expanded leg and an unexpanded leg, the apiees of the expanded leg being free and disconnected from each other at their outer marginal edges and seated in the angle of another unit. and bolts engaging the apices of one unit and the unexpanded leg of the other unit.

WALTER A. BATES. 

